Page 57 of 57 · complaints 2,801–2,823 of 2,823

2010 Toyota Prius complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 2010 record →

Electronic Stability Control (esc)
Filed Nov 30, 20093,000 milesMA

UNEXPECTED TOTAL LOSS OF PROPULSION AFTER DRIVING ON WET ROAD CONDITIONS AT APPROX 35 MPH. . 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS WITH ENHANCED STABILITY CONTROL. NO RESPONSE FROM GAS PEDAL. NEEDED TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND RESTART VEHICLE TO OBTAIN POWER. LIGHTS AND DASH DISPLAY REMAINED ON BUT VEHICLE HAD NO POWER TO MOVE. HAD TO COAST SEVERAL HUNDRED FEET AVOIDING TRAFFIC TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND "RESTARTING" VEHICLE. ESC/TRAC SQUIGGLY SYMBOL APPEARED ON DASH MOMENTARILY. ON OTHER OCCASIONS I HAVE NOTICED WHEN STOPPING ON LOOSE SURFACE MATERIALS OR STOPPING WHEN DRIVING OVER UNEVEN PAVEMENT THAT THE VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY LURCHES FORWARD IN A MOST UNPREDICTABLE AND UNNATURAL WAY ALMOST AS IF THERE WERE NO BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE MOMENTARILY ATTEMPTS TO ACCELERATE. THE FIRST CONDITION COULD EASILY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT IN HEAVY TRAFFIC OR ON A BUSY FREEWAY SINCE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WAS NOT RETURNED TO THE OPERATOR UNTIL THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALLY STOPPED AND THEN SHUT DOWN AND RESTARTED. MY SENSE IS THAT THE ENHANCED STABILITY CONTROL AND TRAC SYSTEM IS OVERLY RESPONSIVE TO ROAD CONDITIONS AND IS SLOW OR INHIBITS THE RETURN OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE TO THE OPERATOR. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A TOYOTA SERVICE CENTER. THEY REPORT NO ERROR CODES OR TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS ON THE ISSUE. NO CORRECTIVE ACTION TAKEN. MY CONFIDENCE IN THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN SEVERELY DAMAGED. I CAN'T IMAGINE THE DANGER OF LOSS OF PROPULSION WHEN DRIVING AT A HIGH SPEED ON A HIGH TRAFFIC/SPEED HIGHWAY. *TR

Service Brakes, HydraulicCrash1 injured
Filed Nov 25, 20098,100 milesAZ

I WAS UNABLE TO SLOW DOWN GOING INTO AN INTERSECTION AT A REASONABLE RATE OF SPEED. WHILE I WAS NOT ACCELERATING, WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES THE CAR DID NOT SLOW DOWN AS I WOULD HAVE EXPECTED. THIS SAME BEHAVIOR HAS OCCURRED IN THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS SINCE I'VE OWNED THE PRIUS 2010 MODEL. IT SEEMS TO SKIP FORWARD OR ACCELERATE WHILE BRAKING ON A DOWNHILL OR UNEVEN SURFACE. BY THE TIME I WAS ABLE TO STOP I THE AIRBAGS HAD GONE OFF AND I HAD HURT MY NECK AND BACK. IT IS A NEW VEHICLE THAT NOW HAS ALMOST $14,000 DAMAGE AND WON'T BE FIXED FOR A MONTH. IF ANYTHING, I'M AN OVERLY CAUTIOUS DRIVER AND WONDERING WHAT I COULD HAVE DONE TO AVOID THE ACCIDENT. *TR

Service Brakes, Hydraulic
Filed Nov 20, 20091,000 milesPA

MY 2010 PRIUS V HAS VERY JERKY BRAKES SOMETIMES WHEN STARTING OUT. CAUSES ALL PEOPLE IN CAR TO BE JERKED AROUND. MANY OTHER PRIUS 2010 OWNERS REPORT SAME PROBLEM. TOYOTA DENIES KNOWING ABOUT PROBLEM IN SPITE OF MANY COMPLAINTS! *TR

Service Brakes, Electric
Filed Nov 15, 20098,000 milesCA

A COUPLE OF TIMES WHEN I HAVE APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES ON MY 2010 PRIUS, THE CAR HAS ACCELERATED MOMENTARILY INSTEAD OF BRAKING. *TR

Service Brakes, Electric
Filed Nov 14, 2009NY

THIS HAS HAPPENED APPROXIMATELY TEN TIMES SINCE WE BOUGHT OUR 2010 PRIUS IN AUGUST. I APPLY THE BRAKES, THE CAR STARTS TO SLOW DOWN, AND THEN ACCELERATES BRIEFLY. I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS JUST THAT THE BRAKES LET UP FOR A MOMENT, BUT THE LAST COUPLE OF TIMES IT HAS HAPPENED I REALIZED THAT IT'S MORE LIKE THE CAR ACTUALLY ACCELERATES FOR A MOMENT. IT HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES WHEN I'M GETTING OFF THE HIGHWAY, ON THE EXIT RAMP, SO I'M GOING FOR A RELATIVELY FAST SPEED TO SLOWING DOWN. BUT IT HAPPENS OTHER TIMES, TOO--FOR INSTANCE, WHEN I'M DRIVING IN THE CITY AND STOPPING FOR A RED LIGHT. TONIGHT IT HAPPENED AND I WOULD SAY THAT THE CAR MOVED FORWARD QUICKLY FOR ABOUT 15 FEET. I HAVE HAD THE CAR CHECKED BY TOYOTA WHO HAS FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH MY BRAKES, BUT I KNOW THAT THIS IS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS GLITCH. *TR

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Nov 14, 2009250 milesCA

I WAS DRIVING MY NEW 2010 PRIUS (APPROX. 250 MILES ON ODOMETER) WHEN APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT EARLIER TODAY WITH MY FOOT GENTLY APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE WHEN SUDDENLY THE CAR SURGED FORWARD ACCELERATING. I AM CERTAIN MY FOOT WAS NOT ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL NOR WAS ANYTHING ON THE FLOOR AND THE FLOORMAT WAS APPROPRIATELY POSITIONED. THE ACCELERATION ONLY LASTED A SECOND, IE ONCE I APPLIED MORE PRESSURE SHARPLY TO THE BRAKE PEDAL THE CAR SLOWED AND THE ACCELERATION CEASED. THIS IS THE ONLY TIME THIS HAS OCCURRED. *TR

Equipment › Electrical › Radio/Tape Deck/Cd Etc.
Filed Nov 13, 2009CA

2010 TOYOTA PRIUS HAS PROBLEM WITH THE FM RADIO. ***NAR*** *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE FM RADIO HAD EXCESSIVE, INTERMITTENT STATIC AND EASILY LOST SIGNALS, EVEN ON HIGH WATTAGE. THE TRAFFIC FEATURE WHICH AUTOMATICALLY LOCATED BAY AREA FM TRAFFIC STATIONS DID NOT ALWAYS WORK BECAUSE THE SIGNAL WAS SO DISTORTED AS SHE DRIVES FURTHER OUT OF THE CITY. *JB

Traction Control System
Filed Nov 12, 2009750 milesNY

ON MY 2010 PRIUS IV WHICH I TOOK DELIVERY OF IN AUGUST, 2009, EVERY TIME I BRAKE, GOING OVER A POTHOLE OR LARGE BUMP, THE CAR LURCHES FORWARD EVEN THOUGH I AM STEPPING ON THE BRAKE. A FEW TIMES I ALMOST HIT THE CAR AHEAD OF ME. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION, AND COULD RESULT IN A CRASH OR POSSIBLY HITTING A PEDESTRIAN. I HOPE THIS SITUATION CAN BE RESOLVED IMMEDIATELY, BEFORE FATALITIES RESULT. I K NOW OTHER PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Nov 6, 2009250 milesTX

I BOUGHT A 2010 PRIUS IN SEPTEMBER 2009. IN OCTOBER, I DROVE OVER A POTHOLE THAT WAS ABOUT 6 INCHES DEEP AND COVERED THE ENTIRE WIDTH OF THE LANE. HERE IS WHAT IT FELT LIKE HAPPENED: WHEN THE BACK WHEELS HIT THE BOTTOM OR THE TOP OF THE POTHOLE, MY CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND I HAD A VERY DIFFICULT TIME STOPPING IT. I MANAGED TO NOT CRASH INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME, BUT JUST BARELY. IT HASN'T HAPPENED SINCE. THE POTHOLE WAS APPARENTLY THE RESULT OF WORK ON THE ROAD, B/C IT WAS SQUARED, LIKE THE PAVEMENT HAD BE INTENTIONALLY CUT. *TR

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Nov 5, 2009867 milesIL

2010 TOYOTA PRIUS ACCELERATES SLIGHTLY WHEN BRAKE IS COMPRESSED AND CAR IS TRAVELING OVER LARGE ROAD BUMPS OR MANHOLE COVERS/SLIPPERY SURFACES (MULTIPLE TIMES EACH TIME I DRIVE). I HAVE NOT YET REPORTED THIS TO TOYOTA, BASED ON THE ONLINE AND NEWS-BROADCAST ACCOUNTS OF HOW TOYOTA HAS RESPONDED TO MUCH MORE SERIOUS ACCELERATION ISSUES. I INTEND TO ATTEMPT RETURNING THE VEHICLE TO THE COMPANY FOR A FULL REFUND. *TR

Engine and Engine Cooling
Filed Nov 4, 20092,000 milesWI

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS. THE DRIVER STRUCK A BUMP IN THE ROADWAY WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO VIOLENTLY REV. HE APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL, AND HE RESUMED NORMAL VEHICLE OPERATION. AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE MALFUNCTION IN WHICH THERE WAS NO RESOLUTION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 2,700. UPDATED 01/15/10. *LJ UPDATED 01/19/10.*JB

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Nov 3, 20092,000 milesMD

I HAVE A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS AND IT ACCELERATES RANDOMLY. USUALLY WHEN I PUSH ON THE BRAKE A LITTLE BIT, BUT NOT ALL THE WAY, IT WILL JUMP FORWARD AND ACCELERATE. I HEARD ABOUT THE ISSUES WITH THE MAT AND I REMOVED THE MAT MONTHS AGO. ITS IS STILL UNINTENTIONALLY ACCELERATING. IT HAS HAPPENED MAY 6 TIMES SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR IN JULY. I AM SCARED TO DRIVE IT AND HAVE BEEN DRIVING MY SPARE CAR UNTIL SOMETHING IS DONE BY TOYOTA OR SOMEONE ELSE THAT CARES ABOUT THE SAFETY OF DRIVERS. *TR

Service Brakes, Electric
Filed Oct 30, 2009300 milesNY

WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN OR TO COME TO A STOP, IF THE CAR HITS A BUMP, POTHOLE OR THE LIKE, THE BRAKES RELEASE MOMENTARILY, CAUSING THE CAR?S MOMENTUM TO CONTINUE FORWARD LONGER/FURTHER THAN YOU WOULD NORMALLY EXPECT OR WANT. THIS IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS WHEN COMING TO A STOP AT A NEW YORK CITY PEDESTRIAN CROSSWALK OR TRYING TO SLOW DOWN WITH A CAR CLOSE IN FRONT OF YOU. I BROUGHT THE CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP AND HAD IT EVALUATED BY TOYOTA'S FIELD TECHNICAL SPECIALIST WHO REPORTED THE FOLLOWING, ""WHEN [THE CAR] SENSES IMPENDING WHEEL SLIP, IT WILL FIRST DISABLE THE REGENERATIVE BRAKES. WHEN IT DOES THAT IT FEELS LIKE THE CAR SORT OF ACCELERATES BECAUSE YOU LOST THE REGENERATIVE BRAKING AND YOU'RE USING THE BRAKE ASSIST THAT YOU HAVE FROM YOUR FOOT. SO THAT IS 'NORMAL OPERATION' ON THE SYSTEM. IT IS WORKING AS DESIGNED." DESPITE THE EXPLANATIONS FOR WHY THIS IS HAPPENING AND WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS ?NORMAL OPERATION?, THE BOTTOM LINE IS, IF THE CAR IS NOT STOPPING WHEN IT SHOULD, THE SAFETY OF PASSENGERS AND PEDESTRIANS IS IN JEOPARDY. I CALLED AND WROTE TWO CERTIFIED LETTERS TO TOYOTA'S CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE DEPARTMENT AND TO AKIO TOYOTA, AND RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM AN EXECUTIVE ANALYST FROM THE PRESIDENT'S OFFICE. NO TOYOTA REPRESENTATIVE WOULD DO ANYTHING IN REGARDS TO THE PROBLEM--THEY MAINTAIN THAT THE BRAKING OPERATION IS NORMAL. I HAVE SEEN OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THE NHTSA WEB SITE AND ON PRIUS OWNERS BLOGS THAT CONTRADICT TOYOTA'S ASSERTION AND SUPPORT THE C

Visibility › Sun/Moon Roof Assembly
Filed Oct 30, 2009900 milesRI

ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK I HAD THE SUNROOF OPENED AND A ROCK HIT THE DEFLECTOR (A PIECE OF TEMPERED GLASS) AND SHATTERED IT. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND IT WAS REPLACED AT A COST OF $907.66. MY CONCERN IS THAT THIS DEFLECTOR AND SUNROOF ARE UNSAFE...BEING ONLY TEMPERED GLASS AND NOT SAFETY GLASS. THE ENTIRE ROOF IS MADE OF THIS GLASS. I HAD ASSUMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SAFE. I FEAR THAT ANY FALLING OBJECT (LIKE A STONE OR HAIL) POSES A DANGER TO MY SAFETY. *TR

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Oct 29, 2009PA

RE: 2010 PRIUS. WHEN BRAKING OVER A POTHOLE, THE CAR SURGED FORWARD SUDDENLY (SUDDEN ACCELERATION DESPITE BRAKING). *TR

Service Brakes, HydraulicCrash
Filed Oct 25, 200910 milesTX

I BOUGHT A BRAND NEW 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS AND LEFT THE DEALER ON OCTOBER 23, 2009. I HAD TO STOP SHORT AT ONE OF THE STOPLIGHTS ON THE WAY HOME AND NOTICED A DISTURBING LAG BEFORE THE BRAKES ENGAGED. HOURS LATER I WAS DRIVING DOWN A MAJOR HIGHWAY WHEN TRAFFIC STOPPED SUDDENLY AND THE BRAKES WOULD NOT ENGAGE. I REAR-ENDED THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME AND MODESTLY DAMAGED THE CAR I HIT AND SEVERELY DAMAGED MY NEW PRIUS. FORTUNATELY NOONE WAS HURT. MY SIX YEAR OLD SON WAS IN THE BACK SEAT. *TR

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Oct 19, 20092,575 milesMA

MY NEW 2010 PRIUS ACCELERATED ON IT'S OWN AS I WAS BRAKING AND SLOWLY APPROACHING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME THAT WAS STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT QUITE SOME DISTANCE AWAY. MY CAR HAD ALMOST COME TO A COMPLETE STOP WHEN SUDDENLY THE ENGINE REVVED ON IT'S OWN AS MY FOOT WAS STILL ON THE BRAKE. I HAD TO PRESS DOWN SO HARD ON THE BREAK TO KEEP IT FROM SURGING FORWARD THAT THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON AND THEN THE CAR'S REV WENT DOWN ON IT'S OWN AND ALL WAS BACK TO NORMAL AND HADN'T HAPPENED AGAIN SINCE. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY KEPT IT FOR TWO DAYS BUT DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. I HAVE TWO SMALL CHILDREN AND BOUGHT THIS CAR FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS, SAFETY BEING ONE OF THE IMPORTANT ONES. I AM NO LONGER FEELING SAFE. THIS WAS NOT THE FLOOR MATS, OR A SUDDEN STOP MISTAKING ONE PEDAL FOR ANOTHER, OR ANY OTHER FORM OF DRIVER ERROR. THIS WAS THE CAR! PLEASE HELP TO DISCOVER THE CAUSE AND MAKE TOYOTA FIX IT BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT OR KILLED. THANK YOU, CHRIS TOPPIN *TR

Service Brakes, Hydraulic
Filed Oct 16, 2009440 milesDC

PLEASE INVESTIGATE THE 2010 PRIUS AND ITS' BRAKING SYSTEM. WHILE BRAKING ON A WET PAVEMENT, GOING DOWN HILL OR BRAKING WHEN THE CAR GOES OVER AN UNEVEN OR BUMPY SERVICE, THE CAR ACCELERATES OR LURCHES FORWARD. FORTUNATELY, I WAS A SAFE DISTANCE FROM OTHER CARS OR COULD HAVE HIT SOMETHING WITH THIS SURGE EFFECT. THE CAR ONLY HAS 400 MILES AND THIS HAS OCCURRED AT LEAST 4 TIMES, THE MOST RECENT TODAY ON A HILL WITH WET PAVEMENT AS THE CAR WAS HEADING DOWN HILL. THE BRAKE WAS GENTLY DEPRESSED AND THE CAR SURGED FORWARD. *TR

Unknown or Other
Filed Oct 12, 200925 milesGA

AFTER PUSHING THE POWER BUTTON AND THEN SHIFTING OUT OF PARK TO EITHER DRIVE OR REVERSE, THE VEHICLE LUNGES AND I HAVE TO APPLY THE BRAKE, WHICH MAKES THE VEHICLE JERK. SOMETIMES THE GASOLINE ENGINE STARTS BEFORE I SHIFT INTO GEAR SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T. THIS PROCESS IS REPEATED OVER SEVERAL TIMES FOR A MINUTE OR SO, THEN IT CORRECTS ITSELF. I AM JUST INCHING ALONG LUNGING, BRAKING, JERKING... THIS HAS OCCURRED ABOUT TEN TIMES OVER THE EIGHT WEEKS AND 2540 MILES SINCE PURCHASED AUGUST LL, 2009. TOOK TO DEALER, ON SEPT. 29, 2009; THEY KEPT IT FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS, COULD NOT DUPLICATE AND SAID ALL SYSTEMS CHECKED OUT OK. AT THAT TIME THE PROBLEM HAD OCCURRED ABOUT SIX TIMES. SINCE THAT DATE, THIS CONTINUES TO HAPPEN INTERMITTENTLY. THIS HAS HAPPENED ONLY WHEN IN MY OWN DRIVE OR IN PARKING LOTS. I AM FEARFUL THAT IT COULD HAPPEN ON THE ROAD AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT AND INJURY TO MYSELF AND/OR OTHERS. THE DEALER AND TOYOTA CASE MANAGER SAY THAT THEY MUST BE ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM BEFORE ANYTHING CAN BE DONE TO CORRECT IT. SINCE IT HAPPENS ONLY ON OCCASION, IT WILL BE DIFFICULT TO DUPLICATE. *TR

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Sep 22, 20091,000 milesNY

ON THREE OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING ON CLEAN, DRY ROAD SURFACES, MY 2010 PRIUS SUDDENLY AND BRIEFLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT ANY WARNING AFTER I DROVE OVER MINOR BUMPS AND, ONE 1 OCCASION, A MANHOLE COVER, WHILE BRAKING. THE SENSATION WAS THAT OF THE ENGINE SUDDENLY SURGING AND ACCELERATING. I WAS FORTUNATELY ABLE TO APPLY HARDER PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL, REGAINED CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND AVOIDED CRASHING INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I SPOKE WITH A TOYOTA FIELD TECHNICAL SPECIALIST TODAY WHO TOLD ME THAT THE MECHANICS OF THE CAR ARE SUCH THAT IF A WHEEL HITS A BUMP OR MOVES ONTO A SURFACE THAT CAUSES IT TO ROTATE AT A DIFFERENT RATE VERSUS THE OTHER WHEELS, THE CAR THINKS IT IS GOING INTO A SKID, AND THE ABS SYSTEM KICKS IN. ALSO, THE SYSTEM THAT GENERATES ENERGY TO RECHARGE THE BATTERY, WHICH ALSO EFFECTIVELY BRAKES THE CAR, SUDDENLY CEASES TO OPERATE. CONSEQUENTLY, YOU HAVE THE SENSATION OF ACCELERATION WHEN IN FACT, ACCORDING TO THE TOYOTA SPECIALIST, THE CAR STOPPED DECELERATING. NONETHELESS, THIS SUDDEN DECELERATION IS UNEXPECTED, AND IF I WAS NOT FOCUSED AT THOSE EXACT MOMENTS AND FAILED TO IMMEDIATELY APPLY SIGNIFICANT PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL, I COULD HAVE EASILY CRASHED INTO AN OBJECT, OR CAR, OR PERSON, IN FRONT OF ME. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN THIS CAR, AND AM WORRIED THAT MY WIFE OR SON COULD HAVE A MAJOR PROBLEM RESPONDING TO THIS SUDDEN LACK OF CONTROL. THERE IS GREAT POTENTIAL FOR SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH FROM THIS TYPE OF INCIDENT. MY CAR IS ABOUT 1 MONTH OLD, WIT

Steering
Filed Aug 27, 2009400 milesID

2010 TOYOTA PRIUS STEERING WHEEL HAS A PLACE WHERE RINGS CAN SNAG CAUSING AN OVER OR UNDER TURN SITUATION. TOYOTA SERVICE MANAGER SAID THAT REPLACING THE PART THAT CAUSES THIS LOCK UP WOULD NOT HELP THE PROBLEM. ONE TIME OCCURRENCE FOR ME BUT WAS VERY SCARY AT THE TIME. *TR

Electrical System › Instrument Cluster/Panel
Filed Aug 26, 2009CA

TL*THE CONTACT TEST DROVE A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS FROM A AUTHORIZED DEALER. HE STATES THAT HE WAS WEARING POLARIZED SUNGLASSES. HE HAD EXTREME DIFFICULTY READING THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER AND SPEEDOMETER GAUGE WHICH EXHIBITED DIM LIGHTING. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. BL UPDATED 10/09/09 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE HAS A DASHBOARD DISPLAY JUST BELOW THE WINDSHIELD THAT REPORTS THE SPEED, FUEL LEVEL AND OTHER OPERATING INFORMATION. THE DISPLAY IS A REFLECTED IMAGE OF A VACUUM-FLUORESCENT DISPLAY INSIDE THE DASH. UNFORTUNATELY, THE REFLECTION PATH POLARIZES THE DISPLAYED IMAGE SO THAT IT IS ALL BUT UNREADABLE THROUGH POLARIZED SUNGLASSES. UPDATED 10/16/09.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic
Filed Aug 24, 20091,000 milesPA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING OVER LARGE AND SMALL SPEED BUMPS THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. AS A CONSEQUENCE HIS RISK FOR SERIOUS INJURY AND CRASH WERE INCREASED. HE IS IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING THE VEHICLE INSPECTED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 1,000. UPDATED 09/14/09 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED ON 6 SEPARATE OCCASIONS , WITH 2 DIFFERENT DRIVERS, SUDDEN, BRIEF AND UNEXPLAINED ENGINE ACCELERATION WAS EXPERIENCED WHEN A BUMP WAS HIT IN THE ROAD WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES. THE DRIVER COULD HEAR THE ENGINE REV UP AND THERE WAS A SURGE OF POWER FROM THE ENGINE DESPITE HIS FOOT NOT BEING ON THE ACCELERATOR, BUT BEING ON THE BRAKE. IN EACH OF THE 6 INCIDENTS THE CONSUMER AND SECOND DRIVER WERE ABLE TO STOP SAFELY, BIT WERE PUT AT RISK OF AN ACCIDENT AND/OR INJURY DUE TO THE ERRONEOUS ACCELERATION. UPDATED 09.15.09. *JB UPDATED 10/13/09. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS NOT ENGAGED AND IT DIDN'T FEEL LIKE THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES ENGAGED EITHER. UPDATED 10/13/09 THE CONSUMER ALSO EXPERIENCED BRAKING PROBLEMS AS WELL. THE CONSUMER STATED THE PROBLEM HAS GREATLY DIMINISHED. UPDATED 02/05/10.

Reading these

NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Full record for the 2010 Toyota Prius → · Every Prius year → · How the figures are calculated →